What is included with a commercial auto insurance policy?

The goal of commercial auto insurance in Florida is to provide protection for your business and its assets. Key aspects of this coverage include physical damage and liability protection for clients, employees, and assets.

Some businesses require all employees to have this coverage or risk having their cargo stolen. Others use them for security purposes and still, others use them for liability protection.

 Here are the basics of commercial auto insurance in Florida. 

The Basics of Commercial Auto Insurance in Florida

Your business often requires the use of commercial vehicles. In addition to transporting goods, delivering services, and traveling to clients, you can also use cargo vans, trucks, or even cars. To protect these vehicles against accidents or liabilities, they need to be adequately insured via commercial auto insurance in Florida. 

Expenses associated with vehicle damage can be costly if you do not have proper coverage. Company vehicles are insured differently than personal vehicles, so the process is slightly different. 

There may be multiple drivers, long-distance rides, and a higher risk of damage in company vehicles. Consequently, insurance companies will require that you get commercial auto insurance.

Physical damage and liability coverage is provided by commercial auto insurance in Florida. If a vehicle is used for business purposes, it may sustain damage. Commercial auto insurance covers such vehicles. 

Several types of vehicles can be covered by this type of insurance policy, including: 

• Box trucks
• Food trucks
• Work vans
• Service utility trucks
• Dump trucks
• Forklifts
• Company cars

Comprehensive insurance

Comprehensive insurance is the most important type of coverage you’ll find in a commercial auto policy. It covers damage to your vehicle and its contents and legal expenses if someone is injured or killed as a result of an accident from one of your business vehicles. 

The cost of comprehensive coverage depends on several variables: how much you drive (how many miles you put on each year), where you live (insurance companies charge higher rates in high-risk areas), and if any modifications were made to the vehicle at all since new. 

When purchasing comprehensive coverage, be sure that what they’re offering matches what’s listed in your contract with a car dealer or lender, they may sell something different!

It’s also important not to confuse comprehensive with collision. Although these two come from the same root word (“comp”) they mean very different things during an accident scenario (though it could be argued that both should be included under a single umbrella).

Collision refers specifically toward just one part denting into another part; while comprehensive usually refers more broadly towards damage incurred across multiple parts within one crash event itself.”

Collision Insurance

Collision insurance is a form of automobile liability insurance that covers you for damage to your car caused by another driver. It is usually included with a commercial auto insurance policy, but it can be purchased separately if you want to insure more than one vehicle and don’t want to pay extra for collision coverage.

Collision coverage typically costs less than comprehensive or medical payments, which means that it will probably be covered by your other policies (such as medical or disability) too. The price varies widely depending on where you live, how old the vehicle is and how much damage was done; however, most people find they only need about $200-$300 per year in total coverage, about half what they would pay for collision alone!

Medical Payments Coverage

Medical payments coverage is a type of liability insurance that pays for your passengers’ medical expenses if you’re involved in an accident. It’s only available to drivers and passengers who are riding in a car, motorcycle, or another motor vehicle with someone else who has purchased this coverage from the company offering it.

This type of coverage can also be purchased as part of a commercial auto policy that comes with Collision/Liability (C/A) coverage. It covers the driver and any occupants on board at the time of an accident up to $100K per person per accident but not more than $300K total across all drivers and passengers combined in one incident (even if there are multiple drivers).

To qualify for these limits: You must be able to prove that you were driving legally at the time of an accident; You must have been wearing your seatbelt; And no one else involved in an accident should have been driving under age 21 without proper training or experience

Uninsured/Underinsured Motorist Coverage

Uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage pays for injuries or damages you may suffer in an accident caused by someone who does not have enough insurance to cover their own share of the bill.

The cost of uninsured/underinsured motorist coverage depends on what kind of vehicle you drive, where you live, and whether any discounts are available for a good driving record. In most cases, this type of protection costs less than $100 per year. 

Personal Injury Protection

Personal injury protection (PIP) is a form of medical insurance that pays for medical expenses related to an accident. PIP coverage is not included in most auto insurance policies but can be purchased separately from your policy.

If you’re involved in an accident and need to receive treatment for injuries sustained as a result, it’s important that you file a claim with your insurer immediately after the incident occurs. This will ensure that PIP coverage becomes active and will begin paying out on claims related to those injuries as soon as possible after they occur.

Additional Options for You in Florida

It’s important to note that this is just a basic outline of what you can expect when purchasing coverage through our company. As we mentioned earlier, each policy varies and includes different benefits depending on the state in which it’s being purchased. 

You can find out the exact contents of a commercial auto insurance policy by looking on your insurance supplies website. The best way to do this is to read through the fine print, usually found in your policy documents.

The coverage and deductibles are also listed there, so if you need more information about them, go through each one individually and make sure that it’s clear what they mean before making any decisions about coverage options or other terms offered by an agent or broker.

Average Cost of Commercial Auto Insurance in Florida

Commercial auto insurance can cost as little as $142 per month or $1,704 annually depending on your needs. Based on your company’s risk profile, you can be well above or below it. There are several factors that go into the cost of your commercial auto insurance policy including:

Your company’s industry and the risks that come with it, the number and types of vehicles you are insuring, how often and how far will the vehicles be driven, employee driving records, and the type of coverage you choose.

Directly speaking with an agent is the easiest way to find a policy for your company vehicles that is affordable and suitable. It will be their job to help you determine what you need and what you don’t, so you don’t have to worry about overpaying.

Auto Insurance Agencies: How to Compare? 

You should check with your current insurance provider to see if they offer a commercial auto policy. It is possible to keep everything organized by connecting all your policies to one agency. Furthermore, if your current agency has a good and long-term relationship with you, you can negotiate an affordable premium on your new commercial policies. 

There are a few other important factors to consider when comparing policies and insurance agencies 

• Comprehensive, collision, and liability coverage options 
• Trailer and rental vehicle coverage options 
• Limits for minimum and maximum policies 
• Coverage for what types of vehicles 
• Rates for premiums and deductibles 
• In the case of bulk insurance policies, are there any premium discounts available?

The Takeaway

If you operate a vehicle that exposes your business to various risks, you’ll be glad that you have commercial auto insurance in Florida from the start. The benefits of having it include securing the vehicles, ensuring that repairs are paid for, and generally making sure that should an accident occur, you are covered! In addition, having proper coverage also helps to ensure good relations with your customers, avoids lawsuits, and ensures the protection of your assets.

You can consult a professional if you need help determining whether commercial auto insurance is something you should consider. A good insurance agent will always be able to narrow down which policies your company needs and which ones it does not. 

Until next time, stay safe, stay protected, and have a great time shopping for auto insurance!